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Columbus Blue Jackets Today

View SlideshowRequest to buy this photoCharles Rex Arbogast | Associated PressBanner night in Chicago: Members of the Chicago Blackhawks carry the championship banner past the Stanley Cup during a ceremony for the defending champs before last night’s season opener against the Washington Capitals. See more on the NHL, Page C5.

IndyCar road race planned for Indianapolis in May

Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host its first IndyCar series road race in May.

Track officials said they would add days of on-track activity before running the inaugural Grand
Prix of Indianapolis on May 10 and holding the biggest event of the IndyCar season, the
Indianapolis 500, as scheduled on May 25.

“For us, it’s the beginning of May, and this is the way we’re going to elevate the month of May,
with a brand-new event that tells the story of what our drivers do for half the year — run on
ovals,” speedway president
Doug Boles said.

The new 14-turn, 2.434-mile course will be run the opposite direction of the 500 on a newly
resurfaced track that will be wider, have longer straightaways and three new passing zones. Drivers
believe the combination will make it the fastest road course on the series’ schedule and will make
for entertaining racing. The plan also calls for taller, bigger mounds around the infield to give
fans better viewpoints.

Organizers expect 22 to 26 cars to start the race, which will last approximately 80 laps.

• NASCAR has fined
Nelson Piquet Jr. $10,000 and ordered him to attend sensitivity training for using
an anti-gay slur on social media.

The Nationwide Series driver posted the remark on Instagram on Sept. 25 in a post that has since
been deleted.

Thunder’s Westbrook out first 4-6 weeks of season

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard
Russell Westbrook will miss the first 4-6 weeks of the season after undergoing
arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

General manager
Sam

Presti said the three-time All-Star had knee swelling that would not subside. He
said doctors determined that a loose stitch was to blame for the swelling, that Westbrook’s lateral
meniscus had healed properly and that the procedure was successful.

Elsewhere

D.C. United wins U.S. Open Cup for third time

Lewis Neal scored in the 45th minute and D.C. United won its third U.S. Open Cup
title with a 1-0 victory over host Real Salt Lake last night. United last won the Cup in 2008.

Neal scored on a shot inside the right post past a diving Nick Rimando just before halftime.

• Top-ranked
Novak Djokovic and
Serena Williams advanced with straight-set victories at the China Open in Beijing,
while
Venus Williams was eliminated.

Defending champion Djokovic beat
Lukas Rosol 6-0, 6-3 in the first round, while Serena Williams downed
Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-5 in the second round. Venus Williams, a wild-card
entry, lost to
Sabine Lisicki 6-1, 6-2. Lisicki didn’t face a break point and broke Williams
three times.

• Purdue receivers
B.J. Knauf and
Jordan Woods have posted bond and been released after being arrested for theft on
Monday. The two allegedly stole two tie bars, valued at $20 each, from a department store.

The school said coach
Darrell Hazell would wait for the legal process to play out before determining any
punishment.

• The Indiana High School Athletic Association has suspended the head football coaches of two
schools involved in a game brawl.

IHSAA Commissioner
Bobby Cox said that Indianapolis Tech coach
Emil Ekiyor and Fort Wayne South coach
Eddie Fields are suspended for one game following the brawl on Friday.

Cox said an assistant coach from each school will be suspended for the rest of the season and
players who were involved in the brawl will be suspended for one game.